DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBOTIC WALK ASSISTANT DEVICE FOR ELDERLY AND HANDICAPPED PEOPLE
Jose Carlos Lobo Santiago Neto1; Djenane Cordeiro Pamplona1; Guilherme Rodrigues Sampaio de Paula1; Hans Ingo Weber1
1 PUC RIO
doi:10.20906/CPS/COB-2015-1795
Resumo
This article describes the development of electronic apparatus to help in vertical mobility for user with disabilities in the lower limbs. This apparatus consists on the adaptation of linear actuators in axillary crutches in order to extend and retract the crutch when desired, increasing and decreasing its height. This fact allows the user to sit and rise from a chair, go to the bathroom without help from another person and even climb stairs more easily. The drive of the crutches is done through two buttons in the handle of the right crutch and the communication between then is done by radio frequency. The apparatus has a control system that makes the crutches self regulate if there is some small difference in position between them, always based on the position of the right crutch. The system has a Bluetooth communication with smartphones that use Android platform, it allows enables a better adaptation for user with different heights, since through a mobile app the user inform his height and the system can calibrate the actuators limits in order to keep then always in the better height range. Another important feature of this new model of axillary crutch is that it has a fairing produced in by vacuum forming attributing to the crutches young and modern forms. This fairing can be customizable and easy to exchange, enabling the user to combine their crutches with his clothes and occasions of use. Practical tests were performed making use of these actuated crutches and it have shown in perfect working order, which according to the users who performed the tests, considerably reduces the force needed to lift.
Palavras-chave: Crutch; Eletronic; Biomechanics